Earth's Older Cousin
by roaringdreams
Summary: Scientists discovered an earth-like planet in the nearby galaxy, orbiting a sun-like star. Looking through a telescope, all they can say is that this planet can harbour life. They don't know it is called Narnia and how to get there from inside our own world... But someone does know there is a way... Once again evil is on the rise. Now not only Narnia, but all Worlds are in danger.
1. Chapter 1

**1,400 light years away**

It was way passed the supper time when Kepler research scientist, Alex Kamsby, was about to leave his office at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute Observatory, NASA. As usual, he glanced through the printouts from Kepler Space Telescope, scanning endless lines of scientific formulas and long equations for signs of abnormality.

His gaze hovered over the lines of familiar writing and he was about to call it a day when suddenly something unusual caught his eye. One of the pre-set formulas showed that planet Kepler 452b has been detected in a habitable zone – the zone close enough to the sun to be capable of life harbouring.

Clutching the report in his fist, Alex crosses the office in three short strides. Unable to separate his gaze from the tiny dot that depicted Kepler 452b, he grabbed the phone and in a mad frenzy began dialing numbers of his colleagues.

Half an hour later the entire crew was at the office; their eyes brimmed with dark circles and eyeballs tinted red. Despite the late hour, the exuberance in their voices and glances did not subside; on the contrary, as they began to work, it only grew stronger.

In the proceeding hours the inexorable arrow on the office clock moved from north to east; whereas for the scientists, the time had stopped. Each of them was deeply into his calculations, trying to estimate the age of the newly discovered solar system, the calendar year of the new planet, and more.

They worked tirelessly until the fiery face of the annoyed sun threw its rays across the maps of the distant galaxy. Scientists lifted up their faced, brimmed with heavy-framed eyeglasses, and nodded at each other in approval.

Being the youngest and thus the most enthusiastic member of the team, Alex Kamsby took the lead at summing up the findings of the past night. Following a fruitless attempt to clear his throat, he declared in a hoarse voice:

"Today is a great day in the history of science," said Alex with a sheepish grin. "We have discovered an earth-like planet that is orbiting a sun-like star," he paused and resumed again. "This new sun-like star is 6 billion years old, which means it has been around 1.5 billion years longer than ours was. In other words, congratulations everybody! We have found Earth's older cousin".

Loud clapping and handshaking filled the office with a jolly spirit, as satisfied grins and nods of agreement flourished all around.

Soon enough the news about Kepler452b spread to the general public, who began to form wild theories of not-so-distant travel to a new planet. The only trouble was that visiting the planet proved to be slightly problematic, as it was estimated that the planet was 1,400 light years away. Speaking in a simpler tongue, it was unreachable.

A week or so later, the uproar surrounding NASA's revolutionary discovery had died down. The office continued to work at its usual pace, calculating the sequences and mapping down new galaxies. Everyone resumed their regular rhythm, all except Alex Kamsby, who was haunted by vivid dreams of traveling to Kepler452b day and night.

It is of common knowledge that all scientists are believed to be slightly mad, and require little assistance to become utterly doomed. Alex Kamsby was no exception, as madness tip-toed into his soul, it took over his brilliant mind. Following the discovery of the "Earth's older cousin"; as scientists had lovingly christened Kepler452b, Alex could neither eat nor sleep. He grew very thin and irritable as he kept glancing through the telescope, scribbling in his notebook, and calculating, calculating, calculating…

Each day Alex worked till dawn, and each night he hallucinated about visiting the new planet. In his dreams he would discover new elements to the periodic table; which would then be named after him, new types of powerful fuel, and other wonderful things.

Alex's colleagues at the office would only shake their heads with pity, while whispering behind his back. They called him "mad professor" and other very hurtful things. Meanwhile, Alex continued his research, stubbornly unwilling to acknowledge rude remarks.

This might have gone on forever, if not for one faithful day...

You see, in his sick mind, Alex concoctioned the "next big discovery" every couple of days. The trouble was that most of his discoveries were utter rubbish, which was apparent to all of his colleagues but not to Alex himself. Most days one of the office workers would soften the blow, catching Alex before he would make his way to the main office of their superior and disgrace himself with a foolish nonsense.

Unfortunately, on one particular day all stars have aligned and Alex completed the full journey from his office on the first floor to main office of his superior on the third floor.

Ten short minutes later, after exuberant Alex waved his absurd calculations at the perplexed face of NASA superior and declared the discovery of a "shorter route" to Kepler452b, Alex was fired.

The destructive fit that followed the dismissal of agonized Alex was shameful and heart-splitting. Thus, I won't describe it. All I have to say is that later that night Alex found himself in a hospital wing with cheerful plump nurse gazing into his eyes.

The nurse fixed his blanket and politely asked if he wanted some water. Following a refusal, she nodded with a relief and left him alone in the hospital room.

Appraising the situation, Alex looked up at the beeping machines with various tubes snaking in and around his arm. He then checked his own patient chart, that was hanging at his feet, and exhaled with an apparent relief.

Being a highly educated person with several PhD degrees, Alex estimated the harm to his brain as minimal, and significantly relaxing, leaned back. The medications administered by the plump nurse invaded his blood stream once again, weakening his muscles, as restless delirium took over his mind.

The door creaked and a thin strip of dim hospital light oozed into the room. Alex woke up, squinting against the unwelcome light and set up, leaning onto the elbows.

"Alex Kamsby?" Asked the tall stranger, as he thievishly glanced back and closed the door behind.

"Yes," said Alex. "How may I help you?" He knew that the stranger couldn't be a doctor due to his unprofessional dark outfit and stealthy behavior.

"I heard you are trying to find a way into Narnia," grimaced stranger, stretching his face into something resembling a sarcastic smile.

"Pardon me, visit what?" Alex frowned, adjusting his eyeglasses. "He must be a psychologist," grimly thought Alex. "And Narnia must be some kind of an allegory to make someone who is suspected of being coo-coo less offended".

Alex set up straight and with a fierceness in his eyes, opened his mouth to let the psychologist know what he thinks of his sort of people.

However, instead of releasing a lengthy tirade, Alex closed his mouth and began to blink rapidly. Something was not right about this stranger, something that Alex couldn't put his finger on…

"That's better," said stranger lowering himself onto a flimsy hospital chair. "I said Narnia, although you people named it something else. Kepler?" He smirked and shook his head dismissively.

The queerness and discomfort felt by Alex a second ago had evaporated the moment he pieced together what that odd stranger was trying to say.

"Kepler452b… You know how I can get there?!" Alex's eyes lit up with deranged sparkles of madness and clutching to his bed sheets, he concentrated his whole being on stranger's eyes.

Somewhere on the back of Alex's mind a small voice of diluted consciousness told him to run.

"Run, Alex," said the voice inside his head. "Don't talk to this odd personage. Leave the room and forget about Kepler". Alex shook his head, silencing the annoying inner voice, and refocused his greedy glance on the cold empty eyes of his visitor.

Noticing Alex's brief bafflement, stranger roared with a frigid laughter. He smirking wider than before and threw a thick folder containing 353 identities of the North Star children at Alex's feet.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Land and The Fog**

A dull world; no place to hide, and yet wouldn't it be simply wonderful if someone told you that it isn't true? That the world we live in is anything but dull and that there are more hiding places than you can ever imagine.

You might say, "it all sounds well and all, but seems like a lie… I know all there is to know about this world, and cannot, and will not believe anything you say… I won't believe that there are elves hiding in the great fog spiraling across the lake; neither will I admit that I have seen them with the corner of my eye. I don't believe. I refuse. I won't. You can't make me".

Surely by the time you have spoken these last words you have convinced yourself that the world is indeed a dull place with no hidden treasure, no magical creatures, but dust and dirt and nothing in between.

Half-smilingly I shrug my shoulders, turn around, and head north. You are left standing there, and as you watch me walk away, you can't help yourself but wonder, "Did I or did I not see pointed elf ears protruding from the sides of his toque".

Perhaps it was just your imagination…

As it has been a three hundred and fifty-second time (I do keep count) that I have tried to approach a human and invite him to come visit my side of the world; I have to admit, I am growing a bit weary. It is not that that you don't want to know, in fact, that's the only thing you really want is "to know". Unfortunately, somehow when the truth is placed right in front of your funny noses you just refuse to see it.

You might wonder why I continue on when, clearly, I have been quite unsuccessful in my endeavor. Well, because I have to. It's my job, I am a _seeker_. When the time is right, I seek special humans. I seek those who were born under the North Star when it hangs directly above the North Pole in the year of a Quarter Lunar Eclipse. I keep maps of the sky and execute careful calculations to make sure I don't miss a single child!

You might wonder what is so special about this day and why I have to seek a human. Well, the truth is, humans and creatures have never been on good terms. We have always mistrusted one another just because we are so different, because our abilities and talents are different and because deep inside we will never stop being a wee bit jealous of what the other one has.

Never the less, we need each other. When our differences are combined, our weaknesses turn into strengths and together we can be more than we can ever be on our own.

Yet, the majority of us cannot accept the truth and that is why our world has been separated into _human_ and _creature_ sides. We still share the same space but it appears to us in different ways.

As the chronicles have it, when the Great Lords of our land first met to decide how the world should be shared, they spent three days and three nights in deep discussions but could not come up with an answer. They grew very tired and went to the shore of a lake hoping that the breath of cool air and the breeze will refresh their minds. The moon shone on the Great Lords, coloring the deep waters in silver speckles while the fog lifted off the water, shining like a knight's shield.

When the Great Lords glanced at the calm waters; quietly leaking the shoreline, it all became clear to them. The humans will occupy the land and the creatures will live in the hazy fog above the waters. They called our part of the world Marine and that is how it all began.

The day the decision was made was the day when the North Star hanged right over the North Pole, in the year of the Quarter Lunar Eclipse. Ever since that time, we celebrate this special day. The day a human-born and a creature-born can cross the line between the two lands; taking place of one another, so that the balance between the inhabitants of the land and the fog can be maintained.

Here is where I come into place, every thirty three years an elf seeks those humans who are born on the day of the North Star and are worthy of exchanging places with an elf from our foggy kingdom.

This time I am that elf and as I have mentioned earlier I have just talked to my three hundred and fifty second human without any success. What I haven't mentioned yet is that there were three hundred and fifty three human children born in the last year of the North Star… which means there is just one last child left.


	3. Chapter 3

**Meet Kol**

"Oh dear, how rude of me! I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Kolinsher Elforime but you can just call me Kol. I am an Elf, the last Elf to exchange my place with the previous human but you have probably guessed so much yourself.

Yes, it is a tradition that the Elf who will take place of the human born under the North Star has to remain in the human world until he finds a new human and a new elf to continue the tradition.

Kol was heading back to his little apartment in downtown Toronto. He spent many years with humans and wasn't particularly noticeable. Except for Christmas time. At Christmas Kol would walk around with his ears exposed to the freezing cold and chuckling to himself when people were smiling in his direction, whispering to each other "oh look, that's Santa's elf". It never bothered him that some folks would think he was quire. Kol just enjoyed snowflakes falling in and around his thin pointy ears and that was that.

Other than the ears, Kol was like any other human man: middle height, slender, and youthful-looking. He had paper-white skin, green eyes, and red hair sticking out in patches from underneath his toque.

All in all, in the past thirty-three years Kol managed to lead a quiet and uneventful life; keeping track of his calculations, maps of the starry sky, and keeping profiles on each and every child born in the last consecutive year of the North Star.

Following his last unsuccessful three hundred and fifty second attempt, he was heading back to his apartment, grumbling on the way up the stairs and shaking his head in disbelief.

He twisted the old rusted key in the lock, pressed on the door handle, like he had done thousands of times before, and pushed the door with his shoulder. Nothing happened. The door didn't budge. Kol raised his eyebrows, grumbled some more and tried again. Nothing happened. To say that this was strange was to say nothing! He stepped back and just stared at the door of the apartment where he stayed for the past three decades.

All of the sudden, the door handle fell down on the floor with a loud "bang"; giving Kol a serious scare. The door creaked and opened, exposing Kol's little room and making his jaw drop and his eyes roll out in horror…


	4. Chapter 4

**Elf Patrol  
**

Kol entered his living room, stepping over piles of disarrayed paper, ripped folders, and wrinkled maps. He was so shocked with what lay in front of his eyes that it didn't even occur to him that someone who did all of this can still be hiding in the depths of the apartment with the grimmest sorts of intentions.

Dazed, Kol bended down to lift one of the folders from the floor when suddenly he saw jumping stars and then all went black...

He woke up some time later when it was already dark outside and the moonlight crept into the room though a narrow window. Slowly he lifted his face off the floor, wiping off the bloody drooling with a sleeve. He cringed and frowned, touching his head with another hand. The spot on his scalp where he was clunked elongated into a decent size bump and hurt to the touch.

His head throbbed and his knees felt wobbly. Nevertheless, with an effort Kol looked around trying to retrace the events. He was broken into, attacked, and had been left unconscious for some time - that much was clear. But who would do it and why? That's where it didn't add up.

He dragged his rubbery feet across the room and then he saw it. Folders upon folders were missing the very first and the most important page. The page that carefully described each and every North Star child identify. Cold beads of sweat formed on Kol's forehead and neck as he picked up the old-fashioned dial phone.

"Rebi? Yes, it's me. Something happened. You need to come here immediately… Yes, no… Ok." This small conversation seems to take the last strength from Kol's crippled body. Still holding the receiver, he slid down the wall sprawling his legs across the ruins of his life's work.

Ten minutes later the chimney in Kol's apartment buzzed, clinked, and spit out three small creatures. They were two feet tall at most, bold, and had very thin pail skin covered with bluish freckles.

One of the creatures was a female, she had a stern look and carried herself as someone who was very important and must be taken seriously. She was dressed in a white blouse, fancy wine-red skirt reaching down to her ankles, and a matching hat with a long ostrich fever. She gave the other two male-looking creatures a short nod and marched toward Kol, poking him with a miniature umbrella she was clutching to her side.

"Oh Rebi, my dear darling friend!" Kol, who must have dazed in his despair, lifted up his chin and melted in a grateful smile.

The little woman-creature lifted up her tiny palm as a sign of silence, "less words, more action! What in the world had happened here?"

Kol's lips began to tremble, as he couldn't hold his tears back anymore. "Someone came here and I believe they… he… she…." There Kol stopped, sobbing so hard that his whole frame began to tremble.

"There, there," said Rebi. "A big elf like yourself crying crocodile tears like this, shameful Kol, truly shameful." She petted him on the back and tried wiping off his tears with a corner of her skirt.

Kol blushed and frowned guiltily. "I am sorry", said he trying to sound as calm as he could.

He described everything that happened to him and finished off his story by opening the first page of one of the folders.

"Someone snooped through all of my folders, taking out the first page of each file with the identities. This means that now some outsider knows that there are three hundred and fifty three special children…" At this point Kol lost his voice again and buried his face into his knees.

Rebi looked back at the other two swamp elves, for that's what they were and like all the other swamp elves worked as the Creature Patrol in the human world.

"Peri and Teri, please begin the investigation," commanded female swamp elf.

The two elves nodded and unzipped a large green carpet bag they were carrying. From the inside of it they took out several stones, small glass jar filled with a sparking liquid, and a little pouch filled with something that resembled sand. Peri and Teri placed stones around the room and then used the sand-looking powder, which was red in color, to make connections between the stones.

"This is room memory recovering system, or RMRS as we call it" explained Rebi. "We have only used it two or three times since it is a rather new method in our department. Works wonders tho".

"How does it work?" asked Kol, wiping off the remaining tears with the dry side of Rebi's skirt.

"Stones collect the residue of the particles of the last memory this room had seen. Then the sand transmits the information from one stone to the next to ensure that the memories are in order. As for the B _atsandroots_ liquid, as usual, it works as an activation agent," concluded Rebi with a satisfied grin.

After all was arranged, Rebi took the glass jar and with a swift professionalism smashed it on the side of the first stone which was marked with a roman number IVV. The liquid spilled on to the stone with a faint hiss; emitting red smoke and continued across the room using the sandy path to move from one stone to the next. Each time the red smoke would reach the stone, it created a small cloud of silver fog. The fog then vibrated, looking like an old TV screen that was disconnected from the receiver. A brief moment later it seemed like the old TV screen had tuned itself, as the smoke receded and left a clear picture floating in the air.

Both the swamp elves and Kol moved closer to the RMRS, squinting into the moving images.

In the cloud above the first stone they saw how the door opens and closes but no one enters the room. The next three stones showed a hurricane of ripped papers, maps, and every other object present in the room flying in a hectic motion across the empty space. Forth stone showed a floating stacks of papers and a floating cast iron statuette of a dancing fairy which ended up crushing into Kol's head, while the pile of papers flew out of the room.

"Well," said Rebi. "This was of no help since your thief was smart enough to remain invisible".

"Or was he?," smirked Teri who kept silent until then. "All creatures know that you are only invisible when you are in this dimension… BUT… _mirrors_ can bring you to other dimensions!" He fanned out his chest and glared at Rebi triumphantly.

"Dimensions where anyone can see your face," finished Peri, pointing at the fifth stone.

The stone displayed the corner of the room with an oval mirror which reflected a tall man in a black suit with empty dark eyes and a crooked smile.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Two: The Bush and the Tunnel  
**

James Donahue was an ordinary boy who lived in on the edge of the forest in Kanningburry, Ontario. His father, Peter, was an engineer who worked very long hours and his mother, Alice, took care of the house and the with the grandmother, who lived with the family, they kept a business growing and selling most astounding roses of all kinds and colors; which they had lovingly nurtured in the family greenhouse.

The grandmother was called Polly. She move to Canada from England after the end of World War 2 and settled in Ontario with her husband and two children, James's father Peter being one of them. When her husband had passed away, she moved in with her older son's family. Being a delightful old lady, Polly, helped around the house and kept the whole family entertained with her marvelous tales of her life in old England.

James lived at a long drive away from school. It was so far, that no one was ever allowed to visit him, which meant that he didn't really have any close friends. You might think that's just sad but to be perfectly honest, he didn't mind. Fisher, family's golden retriever was James' best buddy. Together they built forts, or rather, James built them and fisher sniffed around and barked. Each day Fisher and James would find something exciting in the forest, such as, new funky looking mushrooms or a nest of fallen out birds. So, as you can see, they might have had more fun than any other ordinary boy and a dog could ever have.

The house owned by the Donoghue Family was vast in its proportions. Built over hundred years ago, it retained the grandeur style with its twisting stairways and high ceilings. Made of red brick, with giant windows along the first level and smaller windows on the second floor, the house steamed with mystery of the days long past. Its best feature, however, was an enormous vine of wild grapes. The vine snaked its way across and around the right side of the house, making it look as if a green giant tried to swallow them up.

James's room was on the third level of the house which used to be an attic but Alice allowed him to move up there. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy to convince her to do so. Naturally, part of the deal included that the moment James's throat felt a wee bit sore, he would move right back to the second floor bedroom with the central heating.

Meanwhile, against all odds and better judgment James stayed in the attic; and let me tell you, it was worth the fight! The attic was all wood with one large circular window over-viewing the shady forest and bluish haze of the lake beneath. In summers it was blessedly cool and in winters it felt quilts-and-pillows cozy. At the end even Alice had to admit that it would have been a shame to have this space unused.

As the summer settled across Canada, blossoming bright flowers and filling up the air with the cries of growing up nestlings; James had at last waved the driver of the yellow school bus a goodbye. The air held the promise of hot days and cool lakes, steaming pies, and wild blueberries in quantities sufficient to dye Fisher's gold mane deep purple.

James walked thought the kitchen waving his mom a quick "hello" and skipping two steps at a time, ran upstairs to find Fisher. The dog greeted him warmly, leaking his master's face and ears in a mad frenzy.

Suddenly, Fisher lifted up his ears, moved his nose from side to side; and giving James one last leak across the face, bolted out of the door. James sighed and yet again made his way down into the kitchen. The place was spotless, other than the paw prints which lead across the leaving room and disappeared at the doggy door.

"Supper will be ready by six," said Alice. She did not seem to pay much attention to James, having her nose stuck in the computer.

James contemplated for a moment whether he should mop up the mess before his mom notices but them decided against it.

"I have no idea where she keeps the mop anyways", he lied to himself and with a clear contentiousness ran outside following Fisher's lead.

The evening sun began to weaken but was still sharp as it peeped from the corner of the horizon, laying its long lazy rays across the valley. James was about to whistle for Fisher, when he noticed a large shrub shaking on the other side of the unfenced backyard. Fisher, who was destroying the root system of the plant, looked back at James and smiling from ear to ear ran towards him, greeting his master by planning both muddy paws on James' shirt.

"Ghh, Fisher? No!" Growled James pushing the dog off, Fisher only grew happier and playfully tagged on James' shirt.

Suddenly, James noticed a peculiar cloud of sparking dust under the shrub that Fisher was so diligently digging a moment ago. He started toward it but so did Fisher and in three large leaps the dog was at the bottom of the shrub, bulldozing the roots with a renewed fierceness.

As James moved closer to the roots, he felt a funny unease growing within him. It was as if the air was charged with a sizzling excitement, like flapping wings of the butterflies somewhere between his ribs.

Moving the dog out of the way, James brought his face closer to the silver light at the bottom of the hole. Tiny speckles of shimmering dust were moving in an irregular circular motion, lifting up and then falling back down. Floating and sparkling, the cloud was getting smaller and smaller until it disappeared in the center of the burrow, leaving a narrow funnel-shaped opening.

Fisher growled with disappointment and smiting the mud, stuck his nose into the funnel. Without a warning, the dust had risen. This time it engulfed both the dog and the boy in a thick cloud. The silver fog whistled and crackled; moving around them like a little hurricane, it lifted them up in the air and sucked them into the funnel.

A split second later the backyard was empty, as if nothing had ever happened.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Five, the Wood between the Worlds**

After a brief start James looked around and found himself standing on the bank of a small pond. The pale blue surface was still, as if there wasn't any depth under its glassy shield. James picked at the corner of the pond with a toe of his boot, causing a number of large circles rush across the water. The ripples glittered in the warm sun that snaked its light between the tall slender trees. Other than the constant buzz of cicadas and muted woofing of a distant owl, the forest was quite. James touched the smooth park of the nearby tree; it felt warm and strangely perfect under his palm. Although he couldn't hear it, James was convinced that the trees were softly humming to themselves, growing taller and taller into the endless blue sky.

Bewildered, James looked from side to side trying to make some sense of what has just happened. He pinched himself to make sure he wasn't sleeping, and indeed, he was reassured that he wasn't. He looked around and saw countless ponds nestled in soft grassy beds; going as far as his eyes could see, all perfectly round and perfectly still.

Meanwhile, Fisher happily sniffed around the pond, his nostrils flaring in a rhythmic motion. He grunted, stilled for a second and with the corner of his lips pulled out something small, green, and strangely squeaky.

"Fisher, no!" said James in a stern commanding voice. Hesitantly, Fisher spit out his find on the grassy shore. It moved, squeaked dismissively and looked up at James with its beady eyes. It was a guinea-pig but unusually small and emerald-green in color.

"Well, hey there," said James, "how did you get here?" James kneeled down to pick up the strange creature, when suddenly Fisher bolted towards the tall grass once again. James heard yet another squeaky noise, although this time it was fainter and thinner. James pulled the disappointed dog by its collar and saw another guinea pig. This one was lemony-yellow and unlike the first one, looked more terrified than defiant.

"Poor you! Sorry Fisher scared you. Trust me; he didn't want to eat you. He is a nice dog!"

Unconvinced, both tiny animals didn't move and continued to stare at Fisher; one angrily and one timidly. James sighed, picked up both of the guinea-pigs and placed them in his pockets away from Fishers reach.

"There, you will be happier here… Alright…" said James, "when did I get here, again?" He felt strangely relaxed and confused, trying to remember why did he come here but couldn't. So, both the boy and the dog set down in front of the placid pond. Fisher lied on his side and James propped himself on his elbows; lazily squinting into the hazy horizon of the never-ending ponds, unsure of how many hours, days, or seconds were passing by…

"What are these things?" – asked James dreamily, pointing at the tiny green and yellow guinea-pigs who seemed to be coming out of everywhere; from behind the stones, out of the tree hollows and tall grass. Dozens and dozens of guinea-pigs were loudly squeaking, panting, and violently disturbing the wooing stillness of the forest. All at once James remembered the fact that guinea-pigs shouldn't be green or yellow and that he must go back through that pond to go home.

Guinea-pigs seemed to prompt James to move toward the water; their glossy eyes blinking and noses pointing toward the direction of the pond. James, still perplexed with the otter strangeness of the situation, didn't object and stepped into the water holding tight to Fishers collar.

Nothing happed. The water had barely reached James's ankles as he felt its resistance under his feet and not being able to go deeper. He looked down at his boots, than back at the guinea-pigs who looked just as puzzled as he felt. Hostile squeaking grew louder, as animals appeared to be debating on how to send James and Fisher out of their forest. Suddenly, James remembered about the other two guinea-pigs that must have been still sitting in his pocket. He looked down and reached inside to check if they were still there.

The moment James felt the tips of his fingers brush against the greenish-emerald fur of one of the pigs, the air sizzle and ….PUFF! The boy and the dog were sucked inside the little pond. The forest around began to disappear, it swirled and swayed, as James and Fisher and two tiny odd-colored guinea-pigs were rushing through a tunnel of time back into our world.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 6, Back Home**

James felt both of his feet softly hit the ground underneath. Bewildered, he glanced down at Fisher who looked happy and undisturbed, as if traveling between the worlds was nothing out of the ordinary. Unlike the dog, James was quite shaken. He walked across the lawn and into the house, his legs feeling wobbly under his weight.

Opening the door to the house freed a gust of aroma that escaped from the supper table. The dining room was dimly lit with a rusty old chandelier, giving the entire room a shabby-kind of charm. The whole family was sitting at the table. James's father – Peter, was poking at the chicken and mashed potatoes with a fork, in an apparent anticipating of the meal.

"You are right on time, dear." Alice smiled, as she set a large wooden bowl with fresh salad at the center of the table.

"Last day of school, eh?" Peter grinned and began piling mash potatoes on the porcelain plate with a blue rim.

"Huh?" James was too distracted to hear his parents speak. Still wide-eyed and weary, James found his way to the nearest chair and planted himself on its seat. The family continued their usual "during supper" discussion, exchanging day's events and plans for tomorrow.

Periodically, one of them would attempt to engage James in the conversation, although each time unsuccessfully. His silence, like always, was attributed to the heavy burden of teenage years, and thus didn't appear worrisome to his family. James, on the other hand, was so deeply preoccupied with the bubbling emotions triggered by the unexpected adventure, that he swallowed his supper in three quick bites and excused himself.

Following supper, James went up the stairs into his attic and just had enough time to flop onto his quilt-covered bed when someone knocked at the door. Hesitantly, James opened the lock and saw his grandma Polly.

"Hullo," said Polly. "May I come in?" She rubbed her knuckled hands together and smiling at her grandson entered the room. With a wee bit of annoyance James let her to the corner of the room, and helped her to get sited at a patchy armchair near the round window overlooking the forest.

Grandma Polly was a lively and quick-witted old lady, with a dancing mischief in her deep blue eyes and ready-to-crack –a- joke at any second British humor. As she rested her bones in the old chair, she glanced at James with her usual sideway look full of whimsical curiosity.

"So, Jamie, how do you do? How was your day?" Polly smirked, as she sank deeper into the velvety cushions.

"Alright, Grandma Polly," said James lowering his eyes at his feet, thinking how will he ever get rid of her now. Although James loved his grandmother dearly, he simply wasn't ready for a polite conversation _today_ of all days. He pulled on one of his shoelaces and pretended to readjust the knot.

"You know, Jamie. I have always loved emerald green color. Isn't it simply marvelous?" Polly smiled a deeper smile and winked at her grandson. James stopped fiddling with the knot on his shoe and stared at his grandmother with cautious curiosity.

"What do mean?" James tried not to sound too interested in case emerald green meant nothing to her and she was simply trying to strike a conversation from shear boredom.

"Yellow? What do you think of yellow? To be completely honest, I have always though that both colors are quite lovely." Polly winked again and closed her eyes with a satisfied sigh.

For a minute or so James was just looking at her, hoping she will elaborate on what she had just said, but in vain. Polly had closed her eyes and dropped down her chin, breathing steadily, and napping the way only very old people do – with one leg already in the afterlife.

Feeling quire, James kneeled near Polly. He gently touched her hand, "grandma, are you there?"

Polly opened her sapphire-blue eyes and just smiled without saying a word, prompting James to speak first.

"Grandma, something very strange happened to me… Today… In the garden…" James lowered his eyes with embarrassment. He sighed, then paused; gathering his courage, and started speaking with an increased speed, "I might have been somewhere today, where things were very weird. There were lots of ponds and… and guinea-pigs…" At that moment he lost himself again and pleadingly caught Polly's soft glance.

"I know," said she. "I have been there too, you know. It is a lovely place, the wood between the worlds". Polly glanced toward the ceiling, smiled dreamily and reaching into the pocket on her apron, pulled a crumbled old drawing showing two rings, emerald green and lemony-yellow…


End file.
